Court injunction against NetEnt puts 324 illegal dismissals on hold

A court has issued an injunction against gaming company NetEnt at the request of the General Workers' Union, preventing the company from implementing mass redundancies. 

The GWU had filed an application before Malta's Superior Courts, requesting an injunction to prevent the company from going through with the redundancies or terminating any form of employment.

The union complained that NetEnt had failed to notify or consult with them over the redundancies, as per European and local law stipulates in a collective redundancy scenario. 

GWU went on to charge the company and its new owner Evolution Gaming with a wholesale breach of EU transfer of undertakings rules.

The union publicly denounced NetEnt and Evolution Gaming for this behaviour, which they described as "anti-union tactics". It argues that the company had negotiated a termination package with an employee representative who was dismissive of their pleas and who was appointed by the company itself, thus breaching regulations governing information and consultation obligations.

"Thanks to the Court’s intervention following our urgent request, 324 illegal dismissals have now been put on hold. We will continue to insist that NetEnt and Evolution Gaming honour their consultation obligations in full, and we will do our utmost to ensure that jobs are saved, and, where that is not possible, that appropriate compensation is paid,” a union representative said. 

The court will hear the parties' arguments at a specially appointed sitting on December 17/